A tale of two survivors
by writingwithsamm
Summary: Eloise is saved by Rick and Daryl-OC but after meeting the group and getting too close for comfort, things take a bad turn.
1. Chapter 1

A tale of two survivors

Chapter 1- No where's safe.

I was down to my last four bullets. Now three. What could I do? From every direction the dead beasts were closing in on me, I could hear their muffled, sickening groans from their open mouths, ready to feast on any survivors that crossed their paths. Trees were the only things around me that looked alive, no animals, no flowers and definitely no people. The sounds were now getting closer, I collapsed on the floor against a tree and shielded my face. If they were going to eat me alive, I didn't want their mouths feasting on mine. One of the dead beasts grabbed my arm, I tried to shake him off but he was too strong, my legs stretched out trying to trip him up with my feet, but I wasn't getting anywhere. After struggling for a few seconds I remembered my hand gun that was strapped to my belt. I fired a round off towards his head. Damn it. Missed. Two more bullets followed with one hitting him right between the eyes. A quick smile of relief flashed across my face from knowing that I had escaped that beast, but it was quickly brushed off after remembering that there were still a load of them out there, and I now had no bullets left. This is it, this is the end, how I die. I knew that I couldn't survive this whole thing, but at the same time I never imagined that it would be today that my life would end. I always figured that I'd grow up, get married, have children- I wanted three, I wasn't really fussed about gender as long as I had one of each, but how was this to happen now? I felt my eyes closing, was I dead yet? How could I be? They hadn't got me yet.. had they? Either way my mind was shutting out the outside world, I took one last look at the beautiful surrounding forest before closing my eyes for the last time.

My body came around before my eyes opened, I felt like I was in a coma, Or was this being dead? Possibly.

I heard sounds, oh shit! They're here! I'm led here, I can't open my eyes, I can't move, I can't even scream for help and they're going to get me again! I was shaking now, a million thoughts rushing through my head. I felt two large hands grab my shoulders, Oh god. It's going to be a fat one that gets me isn't it? The bastards. When will this all end? I was shaking even more now, but I realised that this was because the hands on my shoulders were shaking me. Slowly but surely, my eyes opened to reveal a tall, very mysterious looking man, with brown hair hovering over me, I attempting to scream but not much more than a muffled squeak came out.

"Oh good, she's awake." Came a voice from another man standing just behind the first one but nearer to the door.

This man was different, he had a lot smaller arms than the first one, the one who woke me obviously liked to work out a bit, I don't particularly wannna get on the wrong side of him any time soon. I also couldn't help but notice that the one who spoke had a sheriff's hat and badge on, I thought that police didn't matter now that the world had gone to shit.

"What's yer name kid?" The man who had been shaking me finally spoke up. I thought about the way he spoke, he obviously hadn't been well educated as a child, or at all for that matter. To be honest he looked like he belonged to a gang, Oh god, Was I taken hostage by a rough gang that's gonna torture me then kill me if I don't give them answers?

"I.. er.. I-I" I couldn't manage much more than that.

"It's okay, you need to rest." The man with the sheriff's hat said, giving me a friendly smile before continuing. "My name's Rick, and this here is Daryl, he's the one that rescued you after hearing gun shots and screams."

Screams? I don't remember screaming. But then I don't remember a lot, and right now, thinking is making my head hurt. I shot a smile in Rick's direction before raising my hand up to the back of my head, my smile faded after feeling the sticky mess on my scalp and holding my hand up to my face to reveal a warm, red liquid dripping down onto the bed that I was laying on.

"Shit! She's bleeding!" Came Daryl's voice, or was it Darren? I couldn't remember.. Fuck that's not important right now. "Rick, I need you to run to cell block A to get the medical kit, I'll stay here and look after the girl."

"I'll be as fast as I can, Daryl." Ah, so it was Daryl

Wait, cell block A? Was I in a police station or something? I looked around the room. It didn't exactly look like a police station- Even they look more inviting than this room, it was dark with no windows and a heavy looking metal door. So where was I? I had so many questions with very few answers.

I watched the man with the police hat run out of the room before turning to face Daryl.

"You'll be alright kid, just hang on in there, Rick'll be 'ere before you know."

Daryl had a warm smile, and I was drawn to his beautiful blue eyes. I adjusted my positioning before opening my mouth to speak.

"My.. my name i-is Eloise." It hurt to speak but I guess it was better to introduce myself than just lay there in silence.

"Ah so you do got a voice, thought one of 'em walkers took it from you or summut." Daryl laughed awkwardly to himself before checking the doorway for Rick. I shot him a stern look before softening it to a smile, at least he was trying to make me feel a bit better, even if the joke wasn't at all funny.

Both of our heads swung round to the door as the loud and swift sound of footsteps sounded through the corridor, moment later we were greeted once again by Rick.

"Okay, let me see this cut." Rick walked over to the bed, carrying a large box, which I assumed was a medical kit, in his hand.

I sat up using every bit of energy I had in my body so that Rick could take a look at my head.

"Well the good thing is, you weren't bit and it's just a cut." A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"However-"

Oh god, I don't like the sound of this 'however', maybe I've lost too much blood and they're going to have to kill me anyway.

"It looks like you're gonna need stitches for that wound." Rick looked at me sympathetically before turning to Daryl. "What do you reckon?"

I closed my eyes again, half expecting it to block out the sound of Daryl's answer. Were they really going to stitch up my head? I wondered how on earth they would know how to.

"It don't look good." Was all Daryl replied.

A tear escaped my eyes and both of them noticed. Daryl squeezed my hand. I flinched. But he made it better by saying "Don't worry kid, we won't let no one hurt you."

I nodded slowly before reclosing my eyes and awaiting the excruciating pain that was about to flow through me.

Just as I suspected, the pain was almost unbearable, I squeezed Daryl's hand so hard and let the tears roll down my cheeks until Rick stood back from the bed and analysed my stitches before telling me it was over. I fell asleep after that.

...

Hey this is my first piece that I've done, so let me know what you think! :)


	2. Chapter 2 - Others

A Tale of two survivors

Chapter 2- Others?

I awakened from my sleep to a loud bang from outside, feeling completely disoriented and confused I sat bolt upright on the bed and placed my hand to my head, it was painful but at least the bleeding had stopped. The room that I was in now was very different from the one I fell asleep in. I wondered if someone had carried me there, I'm pretty sure I'd got out of my sleepwalking habit when I was 8, so I doubt it was that.

I repositioned myself so that I was leant against the wall and studied the room. The last one was dark with horrible grey walls and a plain desk that was more like a shelf. However, this one had a blue, curtain-like piece of fabric hanging in the doorway and a desk with a pretty cool spinny chair. Suddenly I remembered that I had lost my bag and stood up to search my room. Nothing. That bag had been my life for the past however many months since the outbreak had started, it's the reason I was still alive and without it I had nothing.

Forgetting the bag and remembering the loud bang that had woke me up, I made my way over to the curtain and pulled it back to find a large hallway. I noticed a guy about my age standing at the end, he was neither Daryl nor Rick. Wait, so there are others? I was kinda hoping that they would have told me that when I met them, I mean you can't be too careful now a days, right? I stepped back into the doorway hoping that he hadn't spotted me but when I saw him walking in my direction it was obvious that he had.

"Hey, you're the new girl right?" The guy asked before a moment of silence arose, I presumed he expected me to answer but I just stood there staring at him awkwardly.

"Not much of a talker, huh? Well I'm going out for a run into town in about an hour, I guess I've kinda been nominated for errand boy so if you need anything, make sure to give me a shout, okay?"

He seemed nice enough, I didn't trust him yet but from what I could see he was harmless.

"Uh, I'm good I think, did you see anyone bring in a back pack yesterday? I can't seem to find it anywhere." He seemed to be thinking quite hard for a second before replying.

"I'd check with Daryl, after all he's the one that saved you. Oh, and I'm Glenn by the way, you're Louise right?" Louise? Are you freaking kidding me? The kids in my year when I was at school used to call me that to wind me up.

"Eloise." I replied bluntly. Probably too bluntly, it's not his fault I guess, it's not as though he was trying to be a dick.

"Yeah.. I'm gonna call you Louise" He shot me an innocent but big grin before extending his hand out to me. I shook it politely before huffing and rapidly pulling it back down to my side.

"Just tell me where I can find Daryl"

"He'll be down sharpening his arrows, let me take you there."

I couldn't help but notice the way his smile seemed to light up the room, he was quite attractive but then I figured I only thought that because he was the first human being I had come across in a long while that wasn't family or trying to kill me.

As promised, Glenn lead me outside to find Daryl sitting on the grass playing with his crossbow.

I reluctantly walked over to him and noticed that he didn't even look up, even when my shadow blacked the sunlight from getting to him.

"Hey-" I tried, but was rudely interrupted.

"Save it, kid. I ain't nobody's little chum buddy round here and I sure as hell ain't gonna be yours."

What the hell is his problem? I'm clearly not a kid and he's clearly not the same caring man who helped me last night. Someone has a serious case of bad mood swings.

"I er, I came to thank you actually." Was he really going to be this difficult?

"Well there you go, you said what you had to, now piss off and leave me be."

What?! Who does he think he is?

At this point I noticed Glenn turn on his heels and walk in the opposite direction, I was left alone with this... this.. I don't know what, you could hardly call him a man.

Daryl looked up at me from the floor, squinting his eyes and using one of hands to shield them from the sun.

"What do you think yer doing 'ere? Yer gonna make a hell of a lot of enemies if you keep ignoring people darlin'."

Pfft, I'm pretty sure i'm not the one making enemies here, it wouldn't hurt him to be more polite.

"Well thanks for making me feel welcome.." I muttered under my breath, expecting him not to hear it.

"Welcome? Welcome? Stupid bitch. I saved you, got you cleaned up and even took you to a comfier bed after you fell asleep, yer the one who's being ungrateful."

"All I did was come to thank you, why do you have to be such a jerk?" He was really making me angry now. How was I being ungrateful? I really couldn't be bothered with this.

"Alright, look ere', i'm not gonna be yer li'l pal but if yer not gon' leave me be and quit bugging me, at least give me a hand."

Help him? That had to be a joke. If he thought I was going to do anything for him he had anot-

Actually, wait. He had a point, he had saved me and helped me, I could at least show a bit of gratitude.

"Fine, but i'm just returning the favour." I'm not sure what he thought about that because he grinned to himself then turning to face me, a smile still on his lips.

"Trust me, yer not even close to repaying me yet sweetheart."

What did he mean by that? I smiled back and in that moment, it was like the angry Daryl had vanished and his old self was there. Daryl handed me an arrow and a piece of scraggly old cloth, so I mimicked his actions, closely paying attention to every little detail. Daryl hands looked really rough and unloved. He had a cut going from his middle finger to his wrist on the back of his left hand.

"Hey, I have some cream for that." I said nervously, in an attempt to not give Daryl an excuse to snap again.

"Nah, it'll be alright, how do you expect to give me cream when it's in your bag and you don't know where that is?" Daryl was smiling again. This was good news though! It meant he had picked my bag up, but it also meant he had gone through it..

An old-looking woman appeared from the prison and started heading in our direction. She was fairly tall and wearing a black and white chequered apron, I don't think she liked me as her smile faded when she saw me sitting next to Daryl.

"Pookie, breakfast is ready." The woman called before walking right up to Daryl and hugging him, she squeezed him tightly but I thought he looked awkward more than anything.

"You're welcome to join us too." The woman said to me before smiling then heading back up to the prison.

I couldn't control my laughter. I was almost on the floor in an uncontrollable laughing fit.

"P-Po-Pookie?" I managed out, each syllable had a pause between because of my laughter.

"Shut up, I don't even know why she calls me that okay. I didn't fucking ask her to." Uh-oh. He seemed pissed off again.

"So she's your woman, huh?"

Daryl gave me a glance which suggested I shouldn't have asked that.

"What the fuck you on? I don't need no one, I don't have girlfriends or dates or anything, so nah, she ain't my woman, and she needs to get that in 'er head and yew'll do well to remember it."

I didn't reply, I just stared at Daryl for a short while before following him up to the prison.

Breakfast was really awkward. I felt alone in a room full of about 15 people, I didn't realise there was so many of them. As soon as I walked in, Rick stood up and caught everyone's attention.

"Everyone, this is Eloise, we found her in the forest a short while down the road, she's gonna be staying with us for a while, I want you all to make her feel welcome."

A girl named Beth offered the seat next her to me so I smiled and sat down to eat my breakfast of porridge outs and carrots. It was weird but nice to eat something proper for once. Only then did I realised that I hadn't eaten anything for about 5 days.

"So how old are you?" I heard a voice from across the table which broke my stare away from Daryl.

It was Glenn. Suddenly everyone's eyes were on me as they waited in anticipation for an answer.

"Uh.. Either 19 or 20, I'm not really sure, I lost track of the dates a while ago."

Rick looked over at me and smiled before announcing everyone's tasks for that day.

"Okay, Beth, Maggie and Carl, I want you three on duty for a couple of hours. I need you to patrol the fences, making sure no walkers get in. Glenn are you still making a run to the store?"

Glenn nodded before Rick continued.

"Okay good, I'll be coming with you, Judith needs more formula."

Formula? As in baby formula? I didn't see any babies around..

"Daryl, I need you to take Eloise down to the range so she can get some practise, we need to see how good her shooting is before we let her do anything."

"I ain't doing nuffin, she can learn herself." His words caused my head to snap in his direction where I was greeted with a blank look, I guess he was serious.

"Daryl, This ain't up for negotiation, it's just for a couple hours."

Daryl paused before letting out a low, quiet "Fine."

After breakfast I was sitting in my room sorting through my back pack that Daryl had just returned to me.

"Don't worry I aint nicked nuffin" Daryl explained as he invited himself into my room.

"I know, I checked." I smiled at him and he looked at me before returning the smile and helping me re-pack my bag."

"Hey, maybe now that we're gonna be spending some time together, I guess we could be friends after all?" An even wider smile on my face now/

"We'll see about that, kid."

...

Okay so i'm gonna make sure something interesting happens in the next chapter! Thanks for reading and don't forget to reply :)


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